This is a legitimate NASCAR race car, with a very strong history, that will rumble in front of the crowd at the Russo and Steele auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, come January. It’s also more than that, because this 1972 Ford Torino represents a state of transition for NASCAR, the formula of its top class and a couple of superstar drivers, all at once.

In 1972, no NASCAR team owner had more experience with building killer small-block engines than Bud Moore, who’d contested the Trans-Am series successfully with George Follmer and Parnelli Jones. Creeping emissions laws were forcing Detroit, and thus NASCAR, to turn away from its time-honored big-block engines. This Torino was the first then-Winston Cup car to successfully use a 351 Cleveland V-8, forerunner of today’s still-standard 358. Moore got David Pearson to drive the car in several 1972 races with a best of fourth at Atlanta. For 1973, Pearson move on to Hall of Fame glory with the Wood Brothers. Moore, himself a Hall of Famer, put Bobby Isaac in the Torino’s seat, and kept him there until the second 1973 Talladega race, in which Isaac parked the car after hearing voices telling him to quit. Isaac dropped dead three years later after a Late Model race. Moore’s car, however, has been fully restored by Kim Haynes at RACEstorations in Gastonia, North Carolina. Isaac’s helmet will be auctioned with the car. The auction is set for Jan. 19-23; more info is at www.russoandsteele.com.

14 Responses to “One race car, two different paths”

and now the”smallblocks”run restricted,from my idealisum Racing is to go as fast as you can,Dragsters are not restricted,GT class,Road Raceing,Hydros,Air,Gocarts,Motercycles,Streat Muscle(some capible of 200+)if the driver is not capible of going fast,what are they here for,220 Datona,that record is begging to be broke,are there drivers capible of that?maby,Taladaga,two of Americas Fastest Raceways,turned in to a 6 lane Interstate,in Racing there is no Second,Enzo Sed What Is Behind Me Is Not Importent,Just before the Ford GT 40s Kicked that King Down,top speed the Back Strech,Over 260MPH,avrege 200 for 24 hours,with pit stops,now back in the 2010 yearNASCAR kinda likes the PLATE,i guess i sed nuf bout that,it used to be called RACING

Actually top fuel in NHRA is restricted it’s called 1000ft ,that was their way of slowing down the cars after a fatal crash at Englishtown. Most racing classes are restricted by the rules. NASCAR just has a separate set of rules in place for Daytona and Talladega as they don’t want race cars in the grandstands which nearly happened even with the plates.
The only true unlimited racing series was the original CAN-AM and they even had to step in with restrictions towards the end of the series especially after the Penske Panzer was capable of 1300 HP in a 1500 lb car. Why do think that Porsche held the closed course record and the fastest ever lap at Road America for years.

It also was shortened to try and bring down the costs of blowing up those ridiculously expensive engines also. I’d rather see them back the rules down to see less millionaire racing and the possibility of journeyman winning now and then in the 3 Pro Classes.

Do not compare the current NHRA rule to anything other than Nhra selling out to track owners and not supporting the drivers. 1000 foot racing will cause drag racing to die. If you cannot race the 1/4 mile you should find a place where you can without hitting a WALL. NASCAR has done the same thing and they are also losing fans, and it started before the current economic problems.

I agree.I stopped watching NASCAR when they stopped using stock cars as a basis for the build.There isn’t more than one or two factory stock parts on a so-called stock car now.Its like watching a bunch of clones of different colors drive fast around a circle….this is supposed to be interesting? I think not.It used to be that a fan could relate to his favorite brand of auto.Now they may as well all be a bunch of Toyotas out there.